Though Time Fails
by KYOGAKURA
Summary: Snape finally had the key to the Dark Lord's defeat. But it soon backfires on him and turns him back into an awkward teenager again. And guess who finds him? HGSS - FINALLY UPDATED withbetter grammar on chapter 8
1. Chapter 1

Though Time Fails

I'd stay forever if I could,

though raindrops fall slowly in eternity's grace.

I'd stay forever if I could,

though rosy lips time will fail.

I'd stay if were given a day,

the slightest chance given to heart.

Though time so harsh shall never permit,

I'd stay here forevermore.

If trials come and thou shall fade,

Amity shall find ways.

Ways of finding you and me,

And shall lace eternity in its midst.

Though rock and thunder befall,

Struck through heart thine words of ice.

I shall thrive to win thy trust.

But how could I when we are apart?

Time be cursed I say!

Let it not be our judge.

For how could it stand through?

When even both of us fail?

With thee I am strong.

With thee I stand tall.

Let me stay forevermore,

Forsake all others in my quest.

If distance makes the heart grow fond,

Why not make time its equal?

For how can a forsaken man ever live?

Live in a lie that time encompassed?

Though time does not bargain

I shall stay.

Though star-crossed we are destined to be

I'll stay right here forevermore…

And forever it will be.

Though Time Fails- mine alone

Shit. The word kept on rushing to his mind as he paced inside the room.

Shadows kept dancing at the wall as a small light flickered in the corner of the room. Smoke was everywhere and a clunking sound can be distinguished as it echoed in the stone walls of the dungeon. The sound was made by a boy no bigger than 5' 8.

'Shit, shit, shit!' he thought over and over again although he did not realize that he kept on muttering it under his breath.

The boy was tall, of slim build, a hooked nose and has a very greasy looking mat of hair that was already pressed to the back of his head as he kept running his hand through it. By this description…who else could he be? Whoever he was he was definitely pissed.

'How could this happen?' he thought wildly. He was careful in mixing the potion. He followed every safety precaution ever mentioned to mankind. He even stirred it clockwise for a freaking hour! Dammit! Why did this happen!

Let's have a look at what happened ten minutes ago shall we?

He stood there over a platinum cauldron a ladle at hand and stirring a peculiar potion that was rumored to destroy the dark lord. He added virgin's blood that was to neutralize the effect of the mothwing and basilisk scale in order to make them into a compound. He stirred. He then added the last ingredient that was the most crucial of all.

Potter's hair.

He almost winced when he touched the vile substance. Yeah, as if that would kill him. As the strand fell into the cauldron, a loud sound like that of a firecracker erupted and the mixture and it came flying everywhere. It went in all directions and to the potion's master himself.

To the present we return…

He kept on pacing and cursing and pacing and cursing. Just repeat the process.

Until…

"Prof…" Hermoine granger came in the room and had the surprise of her life. There stood a young man that had slicked his hair like in Draco's fashion that made him look elegant though his robes were a total wreck.

There goes love at first sight with a sick and twisted little display…

A/n Wheeeeeeeee…young Severus and the order of the headmaster! Wheeeeeeee!


	2. dumbledor's decision

Chapter 2- evil corridors and things

Weeeeee..thankie for the reviews! Loved it!

On with the fic

Severus POV

_God._ She stared at me with those google eyes awhile ago. What's that about?

I left. Rather, I ran out of the dungeon and went straight to the grounds. Call it teenage hormones but something was just not right.

I'M A FUCKING PROFESSOR AND I BLUSH.

Dammit. I almost looked like professor Dumbledor out for a drink and gets spiked sherbet. Still, I couldn't help but think about the expression on her face. Didn't she even recognize my hooked nose? That was my trademark! Wait…did I just think what I think I thought? Oh God. Teenage hormones are out to get me!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Normal POV

The boy left the dungeons after the very unexpected entrance of our Miss Hermoine Granger. He ran. Who wouldn't anyway? Anyone in his or her right minds who suddenly turns twenty years younger would run right?

Anyway, she stood there by the door and spread a frown across her face.

'Who was that guy?' she thought. She could have sworn the professor was here before. Furthermore, the professor would never let anyone in his classroom after classes other than those slytherin people. So, who was that guy?

HE LOOKED HOT.

Okay, call her weird but strange black-haired guys appealed to her. Especially THAT guy. Gods, he looked gorgeous. But something in his facial features didn't look right. The nose was definitely a turn-off.

Since when did she start to like tall, pale, raven-haired guys, you ask? Let's go back two years ago…

She stood there in the trophy room waiting for her detention slash punishment. It didn't really register in her mind that she was there. It's as if it was all just a dream. She was after all HERMOINE GRANGER, a school prefect, an ace student and one built for stealth. Yeah, considering the fact that she was cunning, clever and brave, obviously that all led to stealth.

She got detention because she was helping a fellow gryffindor get through potions class without blowing up. She helped Neville, again. A wrong idea. A very wrong idea.

So she helped him right? But he was NEVILLE and everything he touches either blows up, burns, dies, faints or get into trouble. This did not exempt Hermoine. She got a night's detention from the infamous potions master, Severus Snape.

She heard footsteps down he hall.

'Must be Snape' she thought.

She looked through the corridors and poked her head around the corner. First thing she saw was a black moving figure, Snape right? Wrong. This one can never be Snape. Snape was never tidy. The guy that was walking down the hall had his hair tied which made him look like a college student in a muggle university. The guy's robes was open up front. Snape never opened his robes. This guy's clothes are red. Snape never wore red. This guy looked tall.

SNAPE NEVER LOOKED TALL. Well, not unless you go near him and measure your height or something.

"Well Miss Granger? Out for a stroll? Detention perhaps?" he said. His lips curling into a mocking smile.

To the present…

Yes, Snape inspired her liking for these kind of guys. Now, where the heck did he go?

>>>> 

The birds were singing and the sun was shining. Bloody hell!

He sat inside the dungeons wearing nothing. Well, nothing exept a white button-up shirt that was open up front and black form fitting pants. Yes, he wore nothing.

He was young again and that was that. He doesn't know what to do because of the nagging feeling at the back of his head that keeps on saying '_ do it another time! Look! Girls are everywhere!'_ Damn hormones. Damn Girls. Damn potion. Damn!

He stood and slicked his hair to the side. He had gone the previous day to the headmaster to tell him the situation. He never eally expected his answer though.

Flashback>>>

He just sat there and furrowed his brow as if to say something but nothing was coming to his mind right now exept '_ I'm seventeen again!'_ which really didn't help much at his situation.

He remembered being seventeen. A memory he never wanted to think about but was now the thing that was happening to him. He was the acne prone boy who always had his head in the book and a greasy mat of hair plopped down his head. Everybody laughed at him. He never eally cared but when you think about it...JUST CUT HIM SOME SLACK FOR ONCE!

A cough from the headmaster snapped him out of his reverie and he stared attentively at him. The said man popped some lemon drops down his mouth which made Severus more annoyed than he already is.

"what are we going to do about it headmaster?"

" Just go with it my dear boy" he said with his eyes sparkling and a half smile formed in his face.

_Just go with it! How was he suppossed to do that!_ This situation was so fucked that even Neville couldn't possibly ruin it more. Furthermore, what's with that sparkle in his eyes anyway? that is definitely not normal.

"b-b-but-" He stopped. He stuttered. He never stutters! NOOOOOOOO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!

" I will make myself clearer this time Severus. You will be mixed among the students of hogwarts and will act like one, of course, not as Professor Severus Snape but as someone else. However, this is only temporary and will only go on until we find a solution to your problem" he trailed off and glazed at Severus with a smile.

"oh, and one more thing Severus" he said as Severus was about to stand up.

"Don't stutter. It's not like you." Severus then gave a nod of understanding and left without a word his feet clunking all the way to his quarters. His clothes were, after all, 3 sizes too big.

end flashback>>>

He almost got used to his hair being a different shade of color and his more revealing style of clothing. He also wore an earring just to get him into the goth side of the school population that way no one will notice him but oh, how wrong was he!

A little while ago, while on his way to his bed chambers he saw a group of 7th year ravenclaws staring at him. What was that about anyway? Well, at the bright side of things at least they didn't recognie him.

Okay, now he went through his school things and was ready for the first class of the day. Transfiguration. Hope Mcgonagal doesn't give him a hard time. He was never really into transfiguration in the past. '

Up until now' he thought bitterly.

he buttoned up his shirt and went to class. This was going to be a long day, he thought.

>>>>>sorry if it's not what you're expecting...not that good in writing these things...

and for those who wanna see the younger version of our dear Sevvie please go to this link:

wait...next time


	3. the first day

Chapter 3: Damn the First Five Hours of My Life 

"_..Don't get hell-bent cuz it's all in your head…"_

On Snape

Now, a day after the headmaster's decision about _matters_ at hand, we now find Severus Snape preening in front of a mirror in his own bathroom.

Again, preening. In front of a mirror. In his own private bath.

Yes, this author is getting redundant but bearing in mind that Snape was preening is a serious thing, which is capable of putting strong mental images in one's head. It was still early judging by the faint red hues stretching far across the distant horizon but unfortunately, Snape lived in a dungeon. No outside lights whatsoever. His only source of information about time came from a confiscated digital watch.

Yes, my dear readers, a digital watch which is presently beeping, signaling another hour. It was now 6 a.m.

Snape was now looking at himself thoroughly in front of the mirror. Maybe he found his younger appearance puzzling. Perhaps the absence of acne made a difference to his sallow-to-pale complexion. Maybe it was the lack of oily substance in his hair.

Maybe not.

It was not the lack of oil but the lack of black melanin in his hair. He now bore a remarkable resemblance to Draco Malfoy because of his platinum blonde hair.

He just stood there for a moment and frowned. He did not like this. He did not want to be the new…what do the 7th years called it? Ah, yes. The new _ferret boy_. So, with a flourish of his oh so powerful wand, he changed his hair color to its original black splendor. Dumbledor be damned but he will not take taunts from the Potter crew about his resemblance to Malfoy.

He then entered the shower of his _private_ bath and cleansed himself. This was going to be a long day.

On Hermoine

She was already down at the great hall in the most ungodly hour of the morning. Yes, 6:30 a.m. was an ungodly hour for her friends so, most likely, she sat alone.

As she was about to turn a page on this new book which is entitled _Phantom by Susan Kay,_ something, or rather, someone caught her eye. There, across the great hall, at the Slytherin table, there was a boy. Of course, not any boy would catch her eye but this one; this one made an impression on her.

The boy wore the prescribed school uniform. Nothing special except for that fang necklace he was wearing. But aside from that, nothing special whatsoever. He was just sitting there and looking at the enchanted ceiling of the great hall. She swore that she'd seen this guy before. Somewhere…but where?

_Must be another exchange student from Salem's, _she thought and went back to reading. She could not get her concentration, though because the image of the boy kept coming to her mind.

Who is he anyway?

Just as she was going to rip her hair out of her scalp, a voice called to her. Such a darkly sweet, velvety voice. A voice which could make the _Phantom of Susan Kay _proud.

"Hey, are you the had girl here? Professor Dumbledore told me come to you for orientation."

She looked up and found the guy se was looking at a while ago only a meter away from her. She could smell peppermint even though there is no source.

"Sorry, I didn't get an information on that." she replied.

"Oh, I taught that the rumor of the head girl here was right. I taught that she was to be…_informative_,_" _the boy said and smirked. _What the fuck!_

Okay, that strummed a nerve.

"Uh-huh, well, sorry for the wrong information brought to you _sir_ but, to tell you the truth, I really had no information about this. If you would _kindly _elaborate on the topic…" she fumed. This guy was arrogance' incarnate.

"Very well, miss…sorry, but your name escapes me. Clearly you are not as striking as the rumors suggest. They say that you make quite an _impression_ on people." he said still holding that smirk on his face.

She was raging like hell.

"My name is _Hermione Granger, _judging by the way you speak to strangers, you don't know proper protocol. I think it is written somewhere that a stranger must first introduce himself." She snapped back. This guy really had some nerve.

"Oh really?" his lips curled into a mocking smile. "Well then Miss Granger, my name is Lestat Sinclair. You may call me Mister Sinclair from now on."

"What do you need from me _Mister_ Sinclair?" she said through clenched teeth.

"Well…I was meant to be sorted today. Maybe we can start off with that?"

dun dun dun

I have updated! Sorry about the long wait with this short chapter…hehehe. And about the picture of Snape? You can view with this: www dot friendster dot com slash julietrhyne

That's my…profile? Anyway, once you get there, just view my pics and keep scrolling down. You will find someone holding a toothbrush. That's Snape. Thank you for reviewing…heheh.


	4. the 2nd hour

Chapter 4: **Picture Upon White Linen** _**Story of a Love That Never Was**_

_I had liked thee like any peasant would,_

_Although not as much as any man should._

_I needed you as a sheep needs to bleat,_

'_Though not as much as Man needs air to breathe._

_I wanted you like a child to a car,_

_But not as much as a wolf wants his star._

_I loved thee with a love that is taboo,_

_But commit to thee, I would never do._

_Once, I thought I liked you, I really did,_

_I was overwhelmed, I thought I'd bleed._

_Love me for love's sake only, you once said_

_But how should I know? I'm only a kid!_

_You thought I was serious, I thought so too,_

_You've fragmented my young heart - how could you?_

_Now I know that I loved thee for love's sake,_

_Its sake, no reasons, I know that it's fake._

_When we two parted, in anger and in tears,_

_Both broken and thwarted, these are my fears._

_Visions of love, so unblemished and pure,_

_I've shunned and shattered it, this is my cure._

_No longer shall I rue for love that is raw,_

_Not now, no longer shall I experience its flaw._

_This is the story of the two of us,_

_The story of a love that never was._

On Snape 

There he was, silently scheming. Actually, not silently. Not really silent. More like completely wearing his thoughts up his sleeve. No, not sleeve. WEARING IT ON HIS SHIRT. Yes, dear sweet lovable and remarkably nauseating Severus – I mean – Lestat Sinclair was evidently scheming and was wearing his thoughts upon his shirt.

It's like those shirts you now see on gift shops. You know, those with the words _foxy, I'm so good at being bad, insert girlfriends name here._ That is what Severus was wearing. He was gladly showing his thoughts on his shirt while _prancing_ alongside Miss Granger, clearly wanting to piss her off.

Just to clear the shirt thing up, while on their way to the headmaster's office, Severus charmed his shirt to show his thoughts to people. How, in the seventh depth of Tartarus, will Hermoine read it, you ask? Simple, he removed his cloak. Very un-Snape-ish, I know, but you forget my dear reader, he _is _acting as Lestat Sinclair and not Snape so he's going to be as un-Snape-like as possible. (That is, without degrading himself).

Anyway, he was beside miss granger, thinking of something then…

SLAP!

Miss granger's right hand had connected with his right cheek.

"What the hell'd you do that for, woman!" he yelled out loud and forgetting that he was Lestat, he followed with, "50 points from gryffindor!" he said finally.

Miss granger just lifted her eyebrows and proceeded on glaring at him.

"Well!" Severus said again while clutching his right cheek.

Miss granger gazed at his shirt as if mentally burning it with corrosive materials.

Snape, obviously sensing what was wrong, covered up his shirt with his cloak. This just turned into a very feeble attempt of covering up and just earned him another glare from miss granger.

There, on his shirt, was not the scheme he was planning but a picture of miss granger in a bikini…

On Hermione

She was there, walking to the last hallway before the headmaster's office. She was just innocently walking and thinking of the next potions assignment for that day. She was expecting professor Snape to be on his desk today and sneer at them. To swoop down on their brew in hopes of ruining it. To breathe down their necks…

Damn, head girl or not, she was still a teenager and a darn deprived one at that. Of course, she was constantly being paired with dear Ronald Weasley. That's gotta be the most romantic rumor ever made with her name next to it but to be paired with Ron! COME ON! He's gotta be sir points-out-the-obvious-a-lot the first and the biggest sidekick there is! Even though they've been friends and all, she just can't see herself being with Ron. Can't anyone come to her that hasn't been used? Someone intellectual, snarky, mysterious…Snape.

Yes, Snape. She likes the guy but he just blows her off. Every question, nullified. Every effort, accounted for without praise. Everything made, nil. There's no getting through the guy. But aside from that, she knew his past and admired him for it.

Anyway, this was just another schoolgirl crush so why bother?

'Or is it?' she thought and while pondering this, her gaze landed upon the shirt of Mister Sinclair.

SLAP!

The sound resonated in a cinematically exaggerated kind of way.

He said something in an outraged kind of way and took 50 points off gryffindor. Of course she knew that it wouldn't matter since he's a student but something in the tone of voice he used reminded her of a snarky bastard.

"Well!" he said and looked at her. She stared at the picture of her on his shirt which and she wasn't happy about it. She knew that he had charmed his shirt but she didn't expect to see it like this. Even though she did admire this altered spell of his (which can produce pictures other that words), even the tiniest bit of admiration was blown away and was replaced with the primal impulse to sock the guy unconscious.

The nerve of this guy! Checking her out…like…like THAT. It's as if he knew her already. But still, at the back of her mind, she was flattered.

"Bloody…my apologies miss granger. Clearly, my actions have been rather…vulgar. Let me obliviate you from this memory." He said while keeping his face straight. He was trying not to laugh at the look on miss granger's face when he said something about obliviating but her expression at seeing her body in a bikini was…unexpected. She had gone from vein-bulging anger to humiliation to flattered even though he thought the last expression was simply his imagination.

"Obliviate me Mister Sinclair? I think not. The charm you put on your shirt was not even that effective and yet you offer to do such a complicated spell? I think it would be wise for the _both_ of us if you do not touch your wa-"

"Oh, and now I am assuming that you are alluding my magical capacities then miss granger?" he said and smirked while removing the spell he put on his shirt. Damn, Dumbledore's office was just a corner away…

"I thought that your brain was not capable of any thought other than displeasing me sir. I am pleased at your precise interpretation of what I said." She spat back and continued glaring.

"But our conflict, miss granger, is not about my abilities but the picture which has imprinted itself upon my shirt. For that, I think insulting my abilities will not be needed although, I am very much…_remorseful_…on what has befallen us on this hour." With that statement, he donned his cloak on and bowed. After all, he still had his manners.

"a-" Hermoine uttered but someone interrupted her.

"Oh, miss granger, I see you've met young mister Sinclair. I hope you find him well. I've been waiting in my office but since _nature_ presents itself, I must adhere to its call. Please, proceed to my office, I'll be but a minute," he smiled, which wrinkled his nose, and walked on but miss granger called to him.

"Sir, what's the password to your chambers? I'm afraid it escaped my mind during my talk with Mister _Sinclair,_" Severus was gazing innocently at the ceiling while whistling _Miss American Pie._

"It's _jawbreaker_ miss granger. I'm off then, excuse me." He continued on to the chamber pot of secrets…

So, this is just the first 2 hours of Mister Sinclair's arrival. What will become of him? Will he be in Slytherin, where the cunning and the ambitious reside? Gryffindor, where those brave at heart rest in slumber? Dear sweet Ravenclaw where knowledge is treasured? Or little Hufflepuff, where industriousness an loyalty are valued?

Okay, hate me for disliking Ron but that's just me. Sorry. Anyway, I just thought I'd update…cuz I won't be updating again if I don't get at 5 review this time. Sorry for askin' for reviews but I really need those for writing. It…_inspires_ ME. Won't you inspire me? C'mon, you know you want to. Hahaha.

Tnx for the last reviewer. I tried to follow your advice. Thank again.


	5. the sorting

Chapter 5: **Sorting and the Longest Chapter Written by this Author**

_**How much do I hate thee?**_

_How do I hate thee? Let me count the ways…_

_I hate thee to the bottom of all hell,_

_To the depths of Thanatos, come what may;_

_I hate thee and I loathe thee just as well,_

_This is how much I hate thee, count them all._

_I condemn thee to a life of torment,_

_More so shall I take pleasure in your fall;_

_Translated: I hate thee is what I meant._

_I hate thee to the deepest part of me,_

_But then, you ask again, why hate me so?_

_Again, in the depths of my heart, I flee,_

'_Cause I fear that I really hate you so._

_Ask me not this worrisome, strange delight_

_For I might just knock you out of my sight._

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Severus dragged his feet as if he was to be put under a guillotine. Not that he was scared, of course. He was and still is _Snape_, the feared bat of the dungeons and a rumored vampire to boot. But somewhere in the pit of his stomach. Just before the large intestines and below the esophagus, there was this hollow feeling. It was very unfamiliar for him. What was this reaction? Was this the feeling that his students got everytime he gives practical tests?

He smiled at this.

He liked to the thought of putting this uneasy feeling on his students. This just gave him more motivation to be the dark bat of the dungeons. Yes! The dark bat! He liked that, it's foreboding-

Then it just hit him again. He was not Snape. Not until further notice. Damn! This is damnable!

Again, he remembered that faithful day which happened almost 48 hours ago.

(Cue hazy sepia themed background)

Oh cut the crap. This was no time to go into hazy backgrounds! He was top be sorted again! Again, under the musty stench of the old hat. That sensation of dread an humiliation while being watched by the whole school populace as if they were all waiting for you to make a fool out of yourself. He remembered all that.

He heard Miss Granger mumble the password to the unfortunate gargoyle. It sprung to life and stepped aside to reveal the spiral stairwell leading to Dumbledore's office. He heard Miss Granger mumble still and ushered him to go forth, she was to give him his privacy.

Was there a faint tone of respect whilst Miss Granger stepped aside to let him pass? No, it was just another game his mind was playing on him. He had earned respect-

-Or fear-

-As the Potions Master but as Lestat Sinclair, he'll try the best he could…and try he will do!

He took a deep breath, it's like being in first year. It really was! This was no good. He could already feel the great black dog of death watching him. Smiling and sniggering. The great _black_ dog of hell.

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Hermione stood there and gazed at the self-absorbed form of Mister Sinclair.

Yes, she was supposedly _gazing_ at Mister Sinclair, but in truth, she was almost craning her neck just to below the bowed head of the guy beside her. It's almost unnatural to see this guy so serious. Not that she knew him immensely but for someone who'd just pulled a most degrading act a while ago, this was something out of ordinary.

His now brooding form reminded her of the one person she had adored. _Snape._

Yes, as she had confessed unknowingly three chapters ago, she liked Snape.

But then, as to what depth did she like him, you ask? Well, let this author show you. As it was narrated, she had seen Snape in his red clothing and tied hair. Really nice mental image but still unimaginable but aside from that, she knew who Snape was.

He was the snarky bastard of the dungeons. The greasy old professor. The insufferably sarcastic man of the oubliette. This man, this _thing_ as most students would put it, was the one she admired not only because of the wishful thoughts and the hormones but also because of something deeper.

He was there to save Harry in their first year. She had been most ashamed for she had set him to fire that year. She had thought that in the succeeding years, his treatment to her would be more that unbearable.

How wrong was she!

He still treated her as a pebble in his shoe just like before. Nothing changed. Not even for better and not for worst. She was happy.

On the second year, when all the women were swooning over Lockheart (bless him), he alone remained indifferent. Well, as indifferent as he could. He still treated them with venom from a python's fang.

This was his essence. This was his being and she admired that.

Now, in the following years, things were revealed to her. He was their secret spy to the dark lord. He was the one who brews medicine every now and hen to help an ally. He endured things far worse than anyone else did.

Had she known this sooner, she would have slapped both Ron and Harry senseless for their backstabbing. The poor misunderstood man. She wanted to heal him in some twisted way, she wanted to ease his pain. Thus, she became his insufferable know-it-all. She wanted to at least let him know that his teachings were not going to waste.

She snapped out of her reverie when they approached the gargoyle.

"Jawbreaker," she heard herself say ad sidestepped to let Lestat pass.

Lestat. She looked up to him and what she saw startled her. His raven hair had gotten loose from its slicked state and now, he looked just like Snape.

Only with shorter hair.

And with that thought and a smile on her lips, she gave him the look she only reserved for someone she respects. This lasted only for a nanosecond because she remembered again what had transpired five minutes ago.

_HOW CAN SHE RESPECT ANYONE IN THE PERSONA OF LESTAT SINCLAIR?_

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There was the sorting hat perched on the table of the headmaster. That wretched hat of so many years ago.

He walked cautiously towards the chair at the far end of the table. There he sat and grabbed the hat. He roughly put it on his crown and waited…

Waited…

Waited…

Wa-

"Oh, who do we have here?" a voice said in his head.

"Who else?" he retorted and huffed. He's not in the mood to play games with the hat.

"Oh, I don't know, you can be anybody! You can be young Mister Xu of so many years ago. Or little Miss Gray. She had a brilliant mind you know, but she did-"

"Enough! I have to be sorted and I want that to happen _now," _he said impatiently and slumped back to his chair. Really, if he could just burn this hat, he really would.

"Alright then Mister Snape, _young_ mister Snape." The hat chuckled as if to mock young Severus. It worked wonders.

Severus grumbled and thinned his already thin mouth. Damn hat.

"Hmmm, I see now, yesss. I know what happened, as you know I would. Difficult times lie ahead mister Snape." The hat said and somewhere in the depths of Severus' mind, he had the feeling that Dumbledore said those very words in this room…

"You infuriating hat, just sort me and be done with it. Do not mock my current state as it makes my already temperamental nature aggravated." He said clearly and took a deep calming breath. The hat chuckled again in his ears. Where was bottled dragon's breath when you needed one? Oh wait, he had a wand…

"Yes, I see you're as impatient as you were almost 28 years ago. Oh dear Severus, when will you change? Very well. Cunning still, sly, ambitious…you'd do well in slytherin! Yes, slytherin and I see you guided them well too. But this is not a challenge anymore to you is it? No?" the hat chattered on and on.

"If you would just sort me anywhere you want to, I'd never disturb you again. Even in Hufflepuff! Just get this over with," he almost pleaded. Was that tears? No, it was sweat.

The hat straightened itself and silence lingered for a while.

"Up for the challenge of being a gryffindor?" it said suddenly. Severus was no longer listening so he complied without meaning to. He only hard a light tapping on his head and a scream of gryffindor…

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Albus Dumbledore entered his room to find young Severus slumped on a chair. Apparently, he's fallen asleep.

"Rest m'boy, I'll just send off Miss Granger for you," he smiled knowingly and left Severus to the silence of his room. He knew of the sleepless nights he endures just for that failure of a potion. Not including he summons. He needed rest from all the stress.

Before he went out the door though, he glanced at the list of students in his desk. And there, printed in the gothic handwriting, plan as day was…

LESTAT SINCLAIR: GRYFFINDOR

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Very uncharacteristic of me, no? Anyway, this may be my last update for the time being…maybe on November I'll update again…maybe.

Disclaimer: all characters are jkr's and not mine. The name Lestat is Anne rice' and not mine. The plot's mine though.


	6. Finally updated

Chapter Six: Aftermath of the Sorting and The Sorriest Excuse for an Update by This Author

_Zhu ni sheng ri dao mei,_

_Zhu ni dan gao fa mei!_

_Zhu ni chu men jian gui,_

_Zhu ni zhong sheng chan fei!_

It's a rotten ol' Chinese birthday song I found somewhere…hehe 

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Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin, First Class, the one who discovered the twelve uses of dragon's blood and famous for his defeat of the dark wizard, Grindewald in 1945 was popping sherbet lemons in his mouth while a very agitated Miss Granger awaited his next instruction regarding Mr. Sinclair.

Dumbledore didn't seem to notice the twitching fingers of Miss Granger since he continued popping sherbet lemons in his mouth and hummed to himself. Really, the eccentricities of the headmaster will be the cause of his tragic, painful, and mildly amusing death. Yeah, that's a thought right there. Maybe all of Hogwarts can conspire with one another and kill the guy…

…or not. Stopping midway about killing the headmaster using a spork, Granger was suddenly brought back to reality by the Headmaster's coughing.

Or gagging, whichever you prefer.

"Miss…cough…cough…urgh…" Dumbledore coughed again and again and Granger, taking pity on the man, rubbed his back for him.

Well, there goes a very satisfactory chance to kill the headmaster. Sigh, the righteous Gryffindor sense was really getting to be a real pain.

After a few more coughs and tugging, the evil lemon drop dropped to the floor. Granger asked the headmaster if he was alright but the headmaster just waved the question or and wiped his mouth. Composure was brought back in place as fast as it had been lost five minutes ago.

"Thank you Miss Granger, I'll have to properly thank you in due time for being my little savior today. Ah, here," the headmaster motioned for his unopened packet of lemon drops, clearly offering it to Miss Granger. "Have some of this. It's merely a token of appreciation." Dumbledore smiled at her.

"I-if you insist headmaster," Granger bowed her head waiting for the offer to be taken back. Surely, the offer was out of goodwill but the lemon drops were just evil.

"Oh, but I do Miss Granger!" the headmaster put it in her semi-closed hands with his eyes sparkling and everything.

"Thank you," she nodded and kept silent again. Really, when will the headmaster tell her what to do about Sinclair?

Nearby, slumped in a nearby armchair, Lestat…err…Severus was snoring through the whole conversation and choking of the headmaster. Wow, talk about letting our guard down.

Anyway, when the headmaster cleared his throat, the long-awaited instruction of the headmaster was finally given.

"Miss Granger, could you wake the poor lad?"

A real suspense builder, the headmaster tuned out to be. Bending to the headmaster's will, Granger walked over to where Sinclair was sleeping and shook him he the shoulders. Sinclair just gave her a grunt and continued sleeping. Granger, now clearly pissed because she was missing Advanced Potions to assist Sinclair, grabbed the sleeping lad's collar and raised him up.

Talk about adrenaline rush.

After raising him up with just her right hand, she remembered that she can't lift a guy, albeit one as thin as Sinclair, single-handedly. Realizing this too late, she accidentally dropped Sinclair on the chair.

Sinclair, upon hitting the chair, was now groggily alert and was about to extract his wand from his pocket.

"Stop that thought Mister Sinclair," an unfazed Dumbledore said and walked over.

"Ah…was, that is to say, did I just fall asleep in your office, headmaster?" Innocent act by Lestat Sinclair. Or rather, by Severus Snape. Dumbledore smiled at that. Clearly, years of deceit and concealed character were doing good for Snape's acting.

"Yes Mister Sinclair. Now, back to the matter at hand, you've been sorted to Gryffindor and Miss Granger here," he motioned for the girl beside him. "Will show you to your quarters."

Snape's face dropped upon hearing that he was sorted to Gryffindor. He was cursing the Fates for bringing him his clear downfall.

'_Why hath the forsaken me?'_

He was mentally screaming but his exterior still resembled a deer stuck with the headlights.

"But headmaster, there are no more vacancies in the boy's dorm in Gryffindor tower. There's no more place for him to stay there," Granger chimed in. Maybe there was still hope for Sinclair to be transferred to Hufflepuff. Gryffindor be damned but she will not let scum like Sinclair in Gryffindor.

Little did she know, Sinclair was sharing the same sentiment with her. Of course, without the part about being a scum.

Dumbledore's eyes sparkled ten-fold at that comment. Both the adolescents in his presence were getting scared that their headmaster ma be possessed.

"Well then, if there's no more vacancy at the boy's dorm, Mister Sinclair may just be forced to stay with you at your quarters, Miss Granger. At least for the time being. That is, unless something miraculous might just happen and an opening at, let's say, the top of the north tower, might just pop out," Dumbledore popped another lemon drop to his mouth.

It was an understatement to say that Granger was thunderstruck. Oh no, she was more than thunderstruck. She's been hit by a million-watt lightning bolt while being submerged in salt water and a swarm of piranhas were biting at her hair. NAKED!

Sinclair was smirking behind his curtain of long hair and high collar. Actually, pestering Granger while bunking with her could be quite fun. But then, if there was an opening in the north Gryffindor tower, his plan would be for naught.

"Y-yes, I'll see to that headmaster."

"See that you will Miss Granger," Dumbledore nodded at the retreating backs of Granger and Sinclair. He also noted the crestfallen impression on Granger's face.

Maybe the tower might just have a sudden opening after all.

.+. Author's Note .+.

This chapter is FIVE MONTHS delayed! So sorry fer that. hehe, I'll be updating soon. See ya.


	7. and we're back

And we're back. Sorry 'bout the wait but I was kinda feeling a bit down and I'd hate to darken the fic. Oh, and your reviews were highly appreciated. Specially those written by razzcat and personofstrangeorigin. Much appreciated.

I'm even gonna make this chapter longer because I got more reviews than I expected! (I only update when I got the time and I got at least 4-5 reviews…hehe)

Ah well, apologies aside, let's start with the fic now, shall we?

Chapter 7: It All Fits Into Place

"Hello?" Sinclair said as he waved a hand in front of the fuming Miss Granger. He was being ignored as they trudged through the throngs of students streaming in front of them as the second bell of the day rang. Ah, the looks people were giving him. If he were Snape right now, he'd be barking and snapping at them for looking at him funny since most of their looks regarded his…_unearthly appearance_. But now, dressed as fresh as any other and hair tied in a neat band, he was earning sighs here and there.

_Heck yeah!_

"Woman?" he called again but Granger still thought it better to ignore him. "I swear, if you will continue to ignore me for the rest of the duration of my stay here as your classmate and quite possibly your roommate, I will take drastic measures on the matter."

He must have said something good 'because Granger snapped her head at him and glared.

"Hold it. What gave you the idea that we're bunking? Because I'm sure as hell won't put up with that," Granger said menacingly through clenched buck teeth. It would have been scarier if Sinclair was not a head taller than her.

"Tut, tut Miss High And Mighty Head Girl. No profanities in the hallway," Sinclair smirked as he put a finger on ranger's lips. Granger bit him.

"What'd you do that for?!"

"You aggravated me Mister Sinclair and I don't appreciate people silencing me," Granger tossed her head back and motioned for Sinclair to follow her further.

_Ah, so we're back on the silent treatment again, huh?_

"I would not have aggravated your already temperamental nature even further if you had given me enough logical reason as to why I am at the receiving end of your rage towards the headmaster," Sinclair said to her while rubbing his sore forefinger. Wincing at the bruise forming (he bruises easily), he looked up and curled the corners of his mouth. Granger was gaping like a fish. Hah! Who's infuriating now?

"I am not angry with the headmaster for insinuating that I accommodate you to _my_ private quarters during your stay here. No, not at all. What gave you _that_ idea is beyond me Mister Sinclair," such a stress she put in the word _my_. Her sentence too, was dripping with undisguised sarcasm. Mentally, Sinclair did a victory dance for achieving this kind of reaction from Granger.

"_Now you know what it feels like when you talk out of turn in class, Miss Granger," _inner Snape intoned and was happily concocting a potion of thoughts and other verbal abuses that he could use in his arsenal. Outwardly, Snape just raised an eyebrow and shrugged before answering her.

"If that is the case, would you care to tell me what is it that I could have possibly done to earn this pleasure of witnessing you _lose your cool_ as those hip Americans phrased it?" Snape did an air quote to emphasize his point. Wow, acting way out of character was something he never thought could be possible. Yeah right, ass-kissing has always been out of character but every time he faced the so-called evil Lord Voldemort. He often found himself on his knees and giving honorifics to fucktards he would never even face without a snide comment thrown to their faces if they met on a one-way street.

"…_it would take a long time before I go back to the pit of lions…_" he sighed inwardly as he waited for Granger to answer his question.

Granger turned to him and stood on her full height (about Sinclair's chin) and looked at Sinclair. She took a deep calming breath and broke into a smile that would even shame the sun for all its brightness.

Snape just found it all too disturbing.

"I am not losing my cool. I am beyond losing my cool for I lost that two hours back. I am in my happy place right now, thinking of a way to get you a bed in the boys' dorm because Merlin forbid, _I am not rooming in with someone as infuriating as you,_" Granger said and turned her heel, signaling for him to resume following her, and signaled the end of their _discussion_. Snape just sighed and continued following her.

Those two hours were the longest two hours he ever lived. If any more of those two hours were ever to come his way, he'd probably live forever.

So now they were standing in front of a fat lady clad in a frivolous pink outfit. The portrait was singing her lungs out when they got there and Snape was vaguely mesmerized by everything besides the fat lady's attempt to gain an audience.

That is until he got fed up. Having stood there for five whole seconds listening to nothing except the combined sound of a banshee screaming and fork being dragged over a blackboard can _actually_ get to one's nerves.

"Brava!" Snape said and bowed in front of the Fat Lady. Snape has taken to heart the philosophy of flattery. It _almost_ never failed.

"Such a voice behind one so, shall I say, young! Mademoiselle, I do not wish to hear further of your angelic voice for it pains me so that I cannot, for the life of me, grasp the true meaning behind your tones. I'm afraid we, that is to say my companion and I, cannot do you justice by being your audience," Snape finished and stood straight up. Pastel tears were gathering behind the eyes of the Fat Lady and Granger's jaw just hit the floor with a dull thud.

"Oh, why thank you monsieur! I have never been complemented in such a way before," the fat lady replied behind a giggle.

"But one with such talent as yourself truly deserves it, mademoiselle. But as much as I would like to listen to your wonderful voice, I'm afraid that we are in a hurry. Much excitement has occurred this morning and I'm afraid that I must see to my quarters as I am staying here as one of your own," explained Snape as he hid a laugh behind a cough. He looked back and saw Granger was still gaping like a cad. His lips curled even more after that.

_Granger has much to learn about flattery._

"I am deeply sorry for inconveniencing you then, monsieur. The password if you will?"

"Donna Eis Requiem," Granger spoke and the portrait swung open.

"I shall be seeing you soon, madamo-

He didn't even finish what he had to say for Granger pulled him by the collar and into the hole.

Granger witnessed the honey-sweet tone that Sinclair used while talking to the Fat Lady. She wouldn't have minded, of course. It was a given fact that she hated the guy.

Oh but woe! Secretly, in the deepest caverns of her highly intellectual mind, she wished that the flattery was directed at her.

But then, she wouldn't admit that to anyone now, would she? 'Tis still best to keep things to herself.

For the next two hours, nothing interesting happened between the two of them. In fact, things were quite boring in Snape's opinion. He was given a briefing about the Gryffindor common room. Big yawn there. He was also introduced to several Gryffindor people.

One of them was a highly disturbing student he swore to fail when he got back to normal. The student's name was Colin Creevey. He kept on snapping away with his camera. Not that Snape minded but when the boy started snapping at and talking to him nonstop, that's when things got rather unpleasant.

"…so, my father's a milkman. I often tease him 'bout being a milk_maid _he says milkmen don't do maids well. Hey, did you know that muggle cameras can actually work like magica-" Snape put a finger a the boy's lips and locked eyes with him.

"Wow, you're failing spectacularly in your attempt to actually make me care," and with that Creevey was silenced and Snape followed Granger into the head girl's dormitory. Thank the deities that she didn't see what he did to that Creevey fellow.

Little did he know, he just made a couple of enemies in the persons of Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter.

Author's Note ++

Ahhhh…the sweet relief of updating. Haha. Anyway, review please, it fuels me to update faster but if you won't, it's okay. I'm not really writing this for recognition but just for the fun of giving joy to the world. (talk about sappy). Yeah well, feedbacks are welcome. And suggestions too, what do you people think should happen next?

Be seeing ya!


	8. The Night and The Morning After

_A sigh swept through the crag_

_And the echo continued to resound_

_Explosively, unyieldingly, as if_

_It was loud enough for worlds to hear_

_And it reached me as I lay unmoving,_

_As I resigned myself to another eternity_

_And it gave me enough to hope for:_

_That somehow, if I reached out,_

_Maybe if you took my hand,_

_Heaven may not be so far away._

**|The Gryffindor Common Room|**

There had been a time before that harry wouldn't have cared if Colin Creevey suddenly got his head stuck inside an enchanted toilet. Really, he didn't need any more of the attention he was getting from his unwelcome celebrity status. But of course, Creevey was one of his own. he was one of the cubs the Gryffindor lion has taken under his paws. And when a cub gets bruised, everyone else gets the feeling of wanting to hurt the perpetrator of said action.

And that was what the new kid just did.

It was a small offense really. Creevey was really annoying at times but something about the new Gryffindor just rubbed him wrong.

"Who was that guy?" harry nudged Ron's side and Ron sputtered in reply. He was stuffing his face with some of Bertie's _very_ unique beans.

"I don't know Harry, I've never seen him since Hermione dragged him in," he finished after swallowing a significant bit of what he was chewing.

"hm…I see. I think I've seen him somewhere, hang on," and he trudged up to his dormitory, purposively up to some mischief.

**|The North Wing|**

He brushed off most of the attempts of people around him to socialize. He hasn't really put that side of himself away. When he was really 17, he never got to socialize. Not unless it was in a Death Eater circle; not unless it was with the godforsaken Slytherins; not unless it was to dance with Potter and his clique. So yes, he didn't quite develop the skills he needed to make friends with anyone. It was only Lily that he was really friends with. Not that it mattered right now.

He sighed and run a hand through his hair. It was his habit when he was thinking.

There was an improvement to him somehow. He didn't look as dashing now as he did back then. But he put some glamour on. That must have done the trick.

Looking up, he noticed that the moon was full. From the back of his mind, he recalled the ingredients that were best harvested under this kind of environment. Nettle, poppy, Areca Catechu, indrakes…he could enumerate them all really. But right now, he had to put up a front. He had to put up with being Lestat Sinclair.

He shuddered at the name.

He didn't really like the name. It's just that it was the first name that popped into his mind when he had brushed up with Dumbledore that morning.

He sighed, defeated and head throbbing. The day had been fun but how long could he put up with being so jovial? He couldn't really. Today had been different though. Without the constraints of being a man hounded by a miserable past, he could play every role he could. And yes, he did enjoy being out of his almost-normal self but tomorrow, tomorrow he would be back to the way he _should be_…only now, he had to live through being young again.

**|The Head Girl's Quarters|**

Mister Sinclair blared through her eyelids. It was just a little into the first term of her 7th year. And it was already running a little too late for everyone Voldemort had been killing.

She gritted her teeth and sat up. She couldn't sleep now.

Going back to the thought of Lestat Sinclair, she wondered about him. He felt familiar. All _too _familiar. But she couldn't put a finger on it.

Thinking back to how the day had unfolded, she remembered her Potions class. She didn't attend the lecture and the laboratory part would be tedious without the lecture. But she knew the Potions book by heart now. Well, maybe only the first parts since she was busy researching on ways to defeat the Dark Lord. And she had found one.

It was potion, brewed by life and empowered, mostly, by a cause. _Negalus Esencia_, it had been called.

But it was a potion of legend. No one can brew it and live to the day it'll be used. The design in itself was too intricate and the administration had to be precise. Knowing all that, one would've just given up but the present was not a time to dawdle and be defeated by mere difficulties. The present was a time to tackle impossibilities. So when she got at least a partial list of how the potion was prepared, she reported it immediately to Dumbledore.

As far as she knew, Snape was broadening the research. As far as she knew, the potion was already made.

This frustrated and relieved her. She was frustrated that it didn't occur to her that Snape could brew the potion. Of course he could. She never doubted his skill but why hadn't she thought of reporting it to him instead of Dumbledore?

She didn't quite find Dumbledore all too amusing these days. He had his reasons for sure but his reasons had been, as of late, becoming gradually selfish. His decisions consume people around him and mostly, they are the people he had been trying to protect.

Tomorrow, she had to write an excuse letter as to why she didn't attend the Potions lecture. Tomorrow, she had to face the headmaster but that was the least of her troubles.

Tomorrow, she had to face an expectedly unhappy Potions Master.

**| Snape's Quarters|**

He escaped the tower and slipped to his dungeons before the sun rose outside the castle. He had to.

When he got into his own quarters, he transfigured all his clothes into a smaller size. Well, not that small because he already had his adult size by now. He only had to make them a few inches thinner.

A sullen thought passed through his mind. He'd gone lax after his years as a Death Eater.

He let out a shaky breath and continued what he was doing. Every cloak, shirt and piece of unmentionable clothing had to be shrunk a bit. Everything he owned needed to be sorted and packed for the North Tower.

**|The Dungeons|**

Draco Malfoy didn't enjoy his times with the Gryffindors during double Potions. But that didn't bother too much anymore. He had better and more meaningful things to attend to.

Such as being a neophyte in the Death Eater circle under the tutelage of his own father.

He was silently glaring at every Gryffindor that passed him. Not that there were many of them. 7th year advance Potions wasn't really taken by everyone in his batch. For lack of better reason, it had been Snape they didn't want. But yesterday was a bit odd. Snape hadn't been in the dungeons. He didn't hold classes the whole day. Everyone had a three free hours since the brewing part usually took two hours more than the lecture did.

When Granger entered the room followed by a new figure, his mental debate over his problematic status was put to a halt.

He had been staring into the eyes of a younger Severus Snape.

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Author's Notes:

I'm overhauling this story from here. I'll be updating again soon.


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